Teenager and makeover photoshoots in Bicester, Oxfordshire
Celebrating a milestone birthday? Planning a teen makeover party with friends? Organising a confidence-boosting shoot as a treat for your son or daughter? You’re in the right place. My teenager and makeover photoshoots are a gift that lasts a lifetime, with stunning photos and happy memories to look back on for many years to come.
I’m a multi-award-winning, fully qualified professional photographer. I’ll guide you through every step of the process, from the beautifully printed Welcome Pack to our informal pre-shoot chat when we plan out the details.
My unique approach and imagery has led to me becoming the top-rated photographer in the area, with over 200 five-star reviews. Click here to read them, or search for ‘Sarah Plater Photography’ on Google.
“I booked a photo shoot for my beautiful 13 year old, as a gift for her birthday. (Of course, it was/is a gift for me as well!) Sarah took plenty of time to give advice to my daughter on what to bring, in terms of good options for clothing, well in advance of our session. On the day, Sarah made us feel very welcome, and we were very well looked after. She had arranged for hair and make-up (thank you Kate!), and we did two very different looks. We got some absolutely breath-taking shots that we can really treasure forever. What a lovely lady, and a wonderful photographer. Sarah comes highly recommended.”
Barbara, Teenager and makeover photoshoots client from Newbury, Berkshire
How do teenager and makeover photoshoots work?
Get in contact with any initial questions you may have. I’ll answer them and send you my price list and shoot Ts&Cs. When you’re ready to go ahead, I’ll send over an invoice for the session fee and hair/makeup fee (if you’d like to include this). On receipt of this payment, your shoot is booked and we can start planning the details!
I’ll post you a beautiful Welcome Pack. This includes an Outfit Guide, which provides a handy approach to choosing what to wear. Once you’ve ready it through and got some clothes in mind, feel free to snap some pictures and send them over. I’ll make suggestions if needed or let you know if everything looks perfect as it is.
You can bring as many changes of clothes as you like (3-5 is ideal). If you prefer, you can bring a suitcase full of options with you on the day. We’ll look through everything together when you arrive, and put together an informal wardrobe plan for your shoot. Remember to bring jewellery, accessories and any props you’d like to include, too, such as hats, sunglasses or something that represents your favourite hobby (books, Harry Potter wand, hockey stick etc).
For makeover photoshoots I work with the incredibly talented Kate Walker at Ruby Rouge. Kate is an absolute joy to have in the room – warm, friendly and incredibly professional. She can provide two totally different hair and makeup looks, from a low-key natural look to suit your casual outfits through to a more dramatic evening style that will look great with your gowns and dresses!
On the day of your shoot, we’ll spend a couple of hours capturing a range of close-ups, three quarter-lengths and full-length shots. Some will feature soft smiles, some big grins and others a more neutral or enigmatic expression. But don’t worry – I won’t ever ask you to ‘say cheese’. Instead, we’ll chat, joke and even play a few games to generate authentic expressions.
Then, about two weeks after your shoot, I’ll send you a link to an online gallery containing 20 beautiful, hand-edited images for you to choose from. There will be smiles, laughter and possibly even tears.
At this point, you can choose what you want to keep, with absolutely no pressure whatsoever: buy only what you love. But be warned: you’ll probably love them all!
I offer Digital Collections (which include high resolution digital files), stunning Framed Wall Art, timeless Heirloom Albums and Fine Art Canvases, all created by the top lab in the UK. Click here for full details of what’s available.
“We wanted to capture our daughter at age 18 in a picture that she would love herself and treasure forever. Sarah took time to be curious about Niamh and understand quickly what we wanted from the session from the outset of our enquiry. Sarah put us at ease and managed to capture all aspects of Niamh’s personality. Importantly for me, Niamh went from self conscious to confident, had great fun and we all love the results. Be prepared to make some difficult choices at the selection stage! Even then Sarah left that to us, subtly offering her thoughts and giving advice when asked. There was no hard sell which was consistent with Sarah’s approach throughout. She is genuine and clearly loves what she does which came through. Sarah managed to capture Niamh beautifully and we would thoroughly recommend her.”
Elaine, Teenager and makeover photoshoots client from Wallingford, Oxfordshire
Makeover Parties
Bring some friends along for a birthday party with a difference: a little bit of glitter, a load of giggles and many, many gorgeous images of the birthday girl surrounded by her best friends.
Each participant will get their hair and makeup done. There’s plenty of time for beautiful pictures of each person on their own, together with favourite buddies and as a group, with a couple of different outfit changes thrown in, too.
We’ll capture casual, relaxed portraits of the girls interacting and having fun, as well as sassy, dressed-up images as though these young ladies have just stepped off the red carpet.
It’s the perfect way to celebrate friendships, create fun memories and capture those precious teenage years, too.
“Sarah is an incredible photographer. She is great fun and managed a party of 5 teenage girls effortlessly. The teenage makeover and photo shoot will be fondly remembered by all the girls and the photographs were just gorgeous. We would not hesitate in recommending Sarah to any of our friends and family in the future, with the confidence that her work will be beyond your expectations. We are looking forward to having our second photoshoot in the very near future. A great big thank you from all of us! :)”
Anita, Teenager and Makeover Photoshoots client from Oxfordshire
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’ve got a question not listed below, please don’t hesitate to get in contact so I can answer it for you and add it to this list.
How much are teenager and makeover photoshoots?
I charge a £75 session fee which includes:
- A pre-shoot consultation by phone, email or in-person at my Bicester photography studio. This is a chance to get to know each other, answer any questions you may have and plan your shoot.
- A beautiful, printed Welcome Pack with studio directions and tips for choosing your outfits.
- A relaxed and unhurried shoot with plenty of time for outfit changes. As a guide, allow between 2-3 hours. Let me know if you want recommendations for a lunch out afterwards to make the most of your makeover!
Choose which images you’d like to buy afterwards, and only once you see them. I offer Digital Collections (which include high resolution digital files), stunning Framed Wall Art, timeless Heirloom Albums and Fine Art Canvases, all created by the top lab in the UK. Click here for full details of what’s available.
Hair and makeup starts from £80 (for under 16s), including two looks (for example, natural, barely-there makeup with hair down and then evening makeup with hair up). Other options are available depending on your requirements and how many people are taking part in the shoot.
Can I buy a makeover photoshoot as a gift?
Yes, I can help you arrange a makeover session as a gift and/or surprise for a loved one. Together, we’ll make sure it’s a joyful and confidence-building experience, with beautiful images that they (and you!) can enjoy for many years to come.
Choose from a personalised e-Gift Certificate for any amount or printed Gift Certificates in £50 denominations. And don’t worry if you’ve left it late! I can get an e-Gift Certificate to you same-day, and printed Gift Certificates in the post in 2-3 days.
Can we have a couple of pictures taken with family members?
Yes, absolutely! Let’s capture the star(s) of the show with mum, dad, siblings and/or grandparents, too. You can opt to include a full additional makeover or two, or just add-on a quick hair and make-up touch-up if you’d prefer.
Leah’s mum and grandma weren’t planning on getting in front of the camera during Leah’s 13th birthday makeover shoot. However, after some gentle persuasion and a quick freshen-up from makeup artist Kate, they agreed to be in one or two shots. This portrait of the three generations together is now one of their favourites from our shoot: 🙂
My son or daughter has a disability. Can you accommodate us?
Yes, of course! The entrance, photography studio and toilet are all on ground floor level, and the building is wheelchair-accessible.
Please let me know of any restrictions that may affect our photoshoot and together we can plan how best to adapt accordingly.
However, I do use studio strobes for lighting, so if you or anyone attending the shoot has light-sensitive epilepsy then please let me know well in advance. We can discuss alternative approaches, such as using natural light. This may affect the timing of your shoot to ensure we will have sufficient window light throughout your shoot.
My son or daughter is really shy and/or anxious. How can you help them enjoy the experience?
First off, I totally understand. I was painfully shy as a child, teen and young adult, and remain introverted now. It always helps to have someone who can empathise!
Secondly, there are many things I do that will help your son or daughter to relax, such as:
- Having an informal chat on the phone to get to know you all a little bit and start to plan the session. This means you won’t be meeting a stranger on the day of the shoot.
- Having your favourite music playing on arrival and throughout the shoot.
- Being a friendly, relaxing, and un-intimidating person, with a welcoming studio environment. There’s never any pressure at any point, and we’ve got as much time as we need.
- Finding out about you all and getting you all interacting and having fun, so you forget about the camera because you’re too busy laughing 🙂
- Using lots of confidence-boosting techniques to capture you at your very best, and reassuring you throughout the shoot.
If there’s anything additional that you think would be helpful, let me know – I’m very happy to accommodate any requests that will ensure everyone has an enjoyable experience.
“I am very pleased with the images I have of my sons. It was great working with Sarah and the boys were really chilled and relaxed about the experience which I think is evidenced in the photos. I’ll be back to work with Sarah when my younger two get to 13!”
Karen Ravenhill, Teenager and makeover photoshoots client from Oxford, Oxfordshire
Got a question? Ready to book? Please do get in contact:
Sarah Plater AMPA is a multi-award-winning qualified, certified professional portrait photographer based in Bicester, Oxfordshire.
She is the Master Photographers Association Newborn Photographer of the Year 2019 and Young Families Photographer of the Year 2022 for the Central Region (covering Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire).
